Travel industry leaders welcomed the COVID-19 relief package approved by Congress with Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, saying the legislation offers “a huge relief after months of struggle.” He said the bill is “a lifeline for businesses and workers who have been hanging on by a thread.” More than  4 million travel jobs have been lost this year, Dow said, and this package includes “long-needed provisions to help employers keep their lights on.” Chip Rogers, CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), said the industry applauds the House and Senate leadership for the help. He said this short-term relief package is a vital step toward helping the hotel industry survive the crisis. The legislation, said Rogers, will help thousands of hotels stay open and retain employees. Rogers said that among the provisions that AHLA has been pursuing include a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, an extension of troubled debt restructuring relief and an expanded employee retention tax credit. He said the association looks forward to working with the new Congress and administration on a longer-term stimulus package “that will insure the industry is well positioned to help the country recover economically once the public health threat subsides.”